Endodontics Residency

Endodontics Residency

This 24 month program is designed to train clinically proficient endodontists who are prepared to enter private practice. This program emphasizes clinical training at the specialist level in surgical and nonsurgical endodontics. The didactic portion of the program is structured to prepare the endodontic resident for examination by the American Board of Endodontics. Three residents are accepted each year. Graduates of the program receive a certificate and a MSD degree.

Program Goal

The primary purpose of the program is to produce proficient endodontic clinicians who are also capable of research and teaching.

Program Objectives

Produce highly qualified clinicians capable of practice, teaching and/or research in the specialty of endodontics.

Prepare residents to successfully participate in the American Board of Endodontics certification process.

Provide quality endodontic care for patients.

Produce graduates that are happy with their education and as alumni take pride in their program.

Clinical Patient Care

Each resident is generally assigned to patient care six half-days per week. Initially first-year residents treat one patient per clinic session. As the resident becomes more familiar with their operatory, becomes more efficient, and develops competency in the different areas of endodontics, they may proceed to having two patients scheduled each clinic session. Additionally, emergency patients are “worked in” or added to the schedule. Each resident has their own operatory with microscope, ASI cart, rotary instruments, Calamus and/or System B, ultrasonics, etc. A separate surgical operatory is also used for the residents’ surgical endodontic procedures.

The post-graduate endodontic program is fortunate to have a long history of a large patient population. A significant number of private practice dentists refer their patients to the program for endodontic treatment and the patient returns to their dentist for the final restoration. This provides the resident with significant experience in interaction with their referring dentist. The program is also a significant provider of endodontic services to Medicaid patients throughout the state of Kentucky and to patients at the School of Dentistry. 400 + completed cases during the residency is not an unusual accomplishment in this program. The School of Dentistry also has specialty programs in periodontics, prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry, oral surgery, and orthodontics. This provides each resident experience with interaction and referrals from each of these specialty programs.

Each resident participates in teaching in the pre-doctoral clinic approximately ½ day per week. Residents also teach in the two week condensed pre-doctoral preclinical course known as Root Camp. Additionally each resident “teaches” their peers and faculty by giving a Powerpoint lecture on literature/textbook chapters approximately every 6 weeks. This provides significant experience in presenting to seminar/type groups and referring clinicians.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must hold either the DDS or DMD degree. Other course work may be required as individualized programs are developed by the faculty to meet the specific needs of each student.

Those applying for the Graduate Endodontics Program are encouraged to have at least one year of experience in general dentistry, i.e.; private practice, member of the Armed Forces, Public Health Service, or an AGD/GPR experience. However, this is not absolutely necessary. We do not require a GRE exam score for admission.

International Applicants

National Board scores are preferred but not required. If there is an equivalent exam from the country of origin, that may be acceptable.

Official report of TOEFL examination results

All applicants for whom English is a second language must take the iBT TOEFL examination to provide evidence of proficiency in written and spoken English. Applications for the examination may be obtained from:

Test of English as a Foreign LanguageEducation Testing ServicePrinceton, NJ 08540

Application Process

To apply to the Graduate Endodontics Program, please complete an application via the Postgraduate Service (PASS) through the American Dental Association, which allows you to apply to more than one program at a time. If you prefer not to use PASS, please complete an application [PDF] and return to:

Tuition & Fees

There is a fee assessed each semester of enrollment, based on the full-time graduate student tuition at the University of Louisville. This fee is determined each year and therefore subject to change. Tuition for 2014-15 is $11,326 for in-state residents and $23,568 for out-of-state residents. An annual program fee of $7,000 is also required. Contact the program to obtain the current fee.

A $300 non-refundable fee, which is deducted from the yearly assessment, is also required upon acceptance into the program.

Financial Aid

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a GPR/AEGD/private practice experience required to apply?It is not required, but it is strongly encouraged. Clinical experience as a general dentist is valuable for anyone contemplating specialty training.

Do you require the GRE?No.TOEFL?TOEFL is required for those applicants for whom English is a second language.

Does the program lead to an endodontic certificate/master’s degree?Yes, residents earn both a certificate and a MSD degree.

Do you accept international applicants?Yes, internationally trained dentists whose credentials are equivalent to a US/Canada DDS or DMD degree are eligible to apply to the program.

How many positions are there?We accept three residents each year.How many usually apply?In the most recent year, the program had 85 applicants.

What does the admissions committee value most when evaluating applicants?Some of the criteria that are reviewed by the admissions committee include: academic standing and performance during dental education, clinical/practice experience, successful completion of National Board examinations, letters of recommendation, teaching experience, etc.

Does an applicant have to be in the top 10% of their class?No.Is there a minimum GPA?No. There are no set standards for academic performance. However, the program is very competitive. The overall application is evaluated including letters of recommendation, clinical experience, research experience and history of GPR/AEGD/private practice.

I applied last year. Do I need to reapply or can I reactivate my application?You can reactivate your application from last year. Simply send a new, updated application form with a check/money order for $25.00 to the address above. If your transcript or National Board scores need to be updated, please be sure to have those sent to us also. New letters of recommendation will also be accepted.

Are applicants accepted who have not trained at the University of Louisville?Yes. The current resident first and second year class members all received their DDS/DMD degree from schools other than the University of Louisville. In the past 10 years, approximately 50% of graduates of this program were also University of Louisville School of Dentistry graduates.

Do you have any information material about the program you can send me?Our website has the important information available to you. If you peruse the entire The University of Louisville Endodontics and College of Dentistry websites, you will get an idea of the atmosphere here in Louisville and on campus.